Page 136 of The Ruler
“Khan told you?” I asked.
“Uh-huh.” Magni took a sip of his beer. “He never doubted you, of course.” He looked back into the gala room. “He’s so fucking proud of you, Pearl.”
“Magni, there’s something I think you should know.”
“What?”
“Before I came back here, I spoke to Laura.”
Magni coughed in his beer and his eyes grew big. “And?” he said eagerly. “How is she? What did she say?”
“She’s fine,” I hurried to say. “I told her how much you miss her.”
He frowned and I wasn’t sure he had wanted me to tell her that. I continued, “And the first thing she asked me was how you were.”
“And what did you tell her?” he asked, tension in his shoulders.
“I told her you’re as strong and healthy as ever.”
“Good.” He nodded with relief. “You didn’t tell her about the other stuff, did you?”
I assumed he meant the jokes about him and his months of drinking himself into oblivion.
“No, I didn’t tell her any of that.”
“Did she say when she’s coming back?” he asked with hope in his voice.
“I asked her to come back with me but she’s not ready yet.”
“Yet? So, sheiscoming back?”
“She wouldn’t say, but I asked her to record a message for you. Do you want to see it?”
He swallowed hard and nodded.
I stepped to a darker corner of the balcony where no one would see us from within and activated my wristband.
Magni stayed close and drew in his breath when Laura’s hologram appeared above my wrist.
Her hair was a beautiful copper red and her eyes were expressive, with long lashes.
“Hey, Magni,” she said and bit her lip. “I hope you’re doing well and that my absence isn’t causing you concern. I’m safe and training in martial arts as I came for.” She paused, looking unsure what else to say. “Pearl said that she and I will be sisters since she’s marrying Khan. It made me happy to hear it, but I can’t go back with her. It’s not that my life with you was bad but the freedom I have here… well, I’m not ready to give it up. I can’t go back to how things were.” She shook her head with a sad expression. “Still, I miss you sometimes. You and all my friends and family.” Laura licked her lips and looked down. “I’m not sure what else to say.” Her beautiful blue eyes looked up and my gaze fell on Magni, who was staring at her, his chest rising up and down and his eyes burning with longing.
“Take care, Magni, and if we meet again, don’t be angry with me; I never meant to hurt you.”
The recording ended and the balcony fell back into darkness.
“Can I send her a reply?” he asked eagerly.
“Yes.”
“Then record this,” he said and waited for me to angle my wristband at him.
“Laura, I just saw your message and I’m happy you’re safe,” he started out. “I’m going to make you this offer only once, so you better take it. If you come home now, I will teach you to fight. If you really want to learn martial arts, I’ll fucking teach you. Just come home, okay…” He paused and drew in a heavy breath before he added, “I miss you.”
With his eyes, Magni signaled to me to stop the recording.
“Why didn’t you tell her that you wouldn’t punish her?” I asked.
